I'm confused about::

I have been keeping up with BS testing in the A.M., but am still confused on the pre-diabetic diagnosis. My levels normally stay under 100 unless I do a no-no. So if someone can shed some light for me on A1c v BS readings Please I will try & understand or ask more questions…Am not getting anywhere with the doctor. I learn more here!!

14 replies

Hi kaiya2465…To simplify, a1c is the average of your bg readings over a 3 to 4 month period. A few highs and lows here and there can have an effect on your avg. or a1c. The numbers that you mention for your bg and a1c appear to make sense to me. By the way, those are great numbers! Good job!!!

Ok, understand somewhat, but what determines a person as an actual T2 Diabetic? Wondering so I can keep an eye on things or if I just keep up with my life the way it is. As in: healthy eating & exercise, etc..Thank you

The fact that you have an A1c that is on the high end of normal is an indicator. That doesn't change. Once you exceed the "non-diabetic" threshold, you have diabetes. A non-diabetic person will never exceed a single reading of 140, no matter how much sugar they consume. So once you have readings at anytime that exceed that, diabetes is in the cards.

Reversed yes, cured no! Reverse simply implies that you can keep your diabetes well managed and keep your related #s (bg, a1c etc. ) within normal range. Unfortunately, once you are type 2 or type one, its is usually permanent. Gestational diabetes is an exception.

A1c is an average, not an absolute number. Unless you are on a continuous glucose monitor, you don't see every number your body has. A fasting 97 is good, but there are other things that cause it to fluctuate during the day. That is what the A1c reads. It is because glucose sticks to our red blood cells for up to 3 months. That is what they are looking at there.

This is extremely true. I'm a brittle diabetic, so, for example, every time my A1c was 5.9, I tracked back my very unstable numbers, and in my case they were approximately on any given day: 350, 58, 600, 300, 220, 50, 68, 90, 50, 500…so, the A1c means VERY little to me…sorry to sound so hostile, no offense meant to anybody, but that A1c is not a good measurement in my case, as every day my numbers change so quickly and rapidly, that that darned average makes it look as though I am in excellent health…makes me very very mad, frustrated beyond belief…I am SICK and tired of nurses that glance at my A1c and say " Oh…hardly anything wrong with you." YET, if I had a expensive insurance or equivalent, they would be kind, nice, and maybe see me for who I am, and not treat me like I'm just a patient quickly passing through. I apologize for my anger, but, seriously, it's very frustrating. Every time I see a doctor now ( still looking for a new endo and am getting closer), I have to bend over backwards and then some more to get them to see an A1c of 5.9 for me doesn't mean that everyday I consistently had a blood sugar of 126. The A1c I think is great being it probably helps a lot of people…this is wonderful, but, I'm so darned frustrated…ANNE